The Apple Doesn't Fall Too Far From The Tree
by TiffanyCPadgett
Summary: This story involves characters based on film and novel, 'Hunchback of Notre Dame'. This story follows after 6x02. While Henry assists the travelers from the land of untold stories, Regina discovers she has an untold story of her own twining two fairytales together in the most unexpected way. [Trigger Warning: Sexual/Physical Abuse inferred] (Rating may be subject to change)
1. Prologue: The Untold Story

The room was filled to the brim with untold stories, quite literally. The travelers were still a bit jet-lagged and their stomachs a bit empty from their trip into the land without magic. So, they took their chances in the town's diner the following morning. It was a pleasant surprise to both Storybrooke residents and the travelers. The diner was lively and chatter among the potential customers sent Red and Granny into a frenzy preparing meals and drinks for the travelers. Red poured one coffee after another sloshing some of the pot's content onto the counters every moment or so. Each time, Granny growled a nagging quip under her breath as she flipped sausage patties on the stove. The diner hadn't seen this much business since the Christmas party of last year but it was never something Granny couldn't handle. 

The hunger and exhaustion didn't keep the travelers from finding their stories with the assistance of Henry who had his grand storybook splayed out across the bar of the diner. His finger running under the lines of stories that rung familiar to the "fictional character" he was assisting in that moment. A large grin of pride in his hard work spread across his pale yet youthful cheeks every minute or so. No matter how small of a job, he felt as if he was finally finding his place in Storybrooke. And, what he enjoyed most was helping others find their rightful place as well. 

Just as he was covering the last of the untold stories riddled throughout the book, he found a familiar face drawn among an unfamiliar scene that he couldn't recall ever finding before. "That can't be..." He mumbled under his breath only to catch the attention of Snow standing only a few stools between them alongside Charming. "What can't be, Henry?" Her bold brows rose curiously as she lifted her weight from the edge of the bar and made her way to her grandson's side. She rolled up the sleeves of her pastel, pink cardigan up to her elbows before crossing her arms and analyzing the page that caught Henry's attention. "Let's see what we have here…" David's intrigued voice entering the matter as he curled a concerned hand over Henry's shoulder. Henry glanced up over his shoulder at the pair revealing a slightly bewildered expression knitted across his face, "It's Mom. She's in one of the untold stories." 

His tone grew excited at the find as he glanced back down to the storybook that was now perched in his lap sliding his index finger over a figure with long, raven locks and a porcelain, white face to complement. "Is that…?" Snow's voice rose in pitch causing Ruby's own brows to rise in curiosity but she was far too busy to evade her duties behind the counter. "Regina." Charming finished and answered Snow's question with an equally perplexed tone in his voice. They shuffled in closer around the book to get a better look and as the boy pointed out, it was proven to be true. The woman did have a striking resemblance to Regina. The picture depicted a young woman with delicate, bare features and smooth locks that cloaked her shoulders as she sat upon a dirty stable floor. The scenery surrounding the innocent-faced girl couldn't distract from the beauty of the young Queen to be. Her slender legs folded under her with a look of adoration on her face. Her eyes gazed upon a much smaller and more innocent figure. The small baby curled into her bosom in a deep slumber snuggled closely into a heavy, cotton horse blanket. The child greatly resembled her own mother from when she was an infant herself, from the cherub cheeks tinged with a faint tint of red to the smoothly-curved, pouted lips; her features were uncanny. It was depicting a short time in the Mayor's life when tragedy and heartbreak hadn't taken a psychological toll on her and there was still an innocent twinkle in her eyes that would sooner than later be snuffed out. It was a side that was new to all three of them. 

The three gawked further at the illustrations until they were shortly interrupted by another figure that stood closely behind. _Mhm Mhm._ The sound of her throat being cleared sent an easily-frightened Snow into a slight yelp. " _Oof_. You scared me." Snow quipped quickly to distract the Mayor from their blatant infatuation from the book's illustrations. "What is it that you three are so interested in?" Regina's brows furrowed at the sight of uneasiness that passed over each of the three's faces. Her arms crossed with impatience and her jaw tensed. There was a light-heartedness that soon washed away as a few seconds passed without an explanation. Her question was followed by a few awkward shuffles from the Charmings and Henry moving the book 'casually' from her sight. Snow was the first to attempt to put her confusion to rest. "Uhh, uhh. Nothing. We were just…-" David chuckled cheekily interrupting his wife as he placed his hands on his hips, "- finishing up here. We were, uh, helping Henry check the last of the stories off." Snow nodded eagerly behind that answer with pursed lips. "Yep! Sure was." Regina's expression grew into more of amusement although it surely neither settled her confusion nor her concerns. "And?" Snow gestured her hands out to her sides a bit wildly. "And, we're done here. All their stories were found. No other stories to be read." For a moment, they thought they'd have to break from the situation and so David did with a quick explanation, "We, uh, left Neal to Emma and Killian, so we have to get back to them." The two nodded in unison before trekking off out the door of the diner evading their small discovery leaving Henry to his book and his mother. 

An equally amused grin spread across Henry's face as Regina settled on the stool next to him before jutting out her top lip analyzing those few moments over in her mind. Her elbows rested on the granite counter with that same confused expression, "Do I even want to know what that was?" A slight chuckle left her lips as she shook her head at the absurdity. Without another minute passing, Ruby placed a hot cup of coffee in front of the mayor with a hectic expression on her face as she tried to fill the orders of the regulars in between the traveler's meal orders. The busyness didn't leave Ruby much time to chat in between orders served and Regina didn't necessarily care for her mindless, small talk in that moment although the girl was harmless. Regina wrapped her fingers around the mug before taking a careful, slow gulp of the hot liquid. "Well, that was awkward." Henry let out a stifled laugh before placing the book back to rest on top of the counter. 

' _I'll have to tell her one way or another if I have a brother or sister out there somewhere. I need to know.'_ Henry was lost in his own thoughts for a moment as he convinced himself to bring up the scene of Regina's past. Just as Regina lifted the mug to her lips once again, Henry's deepened voice tried to set up the question in a soft and understanding tone, "Why didn't you ever mention that I had a sibling?" Regina's dark, brown eyes widened in response to his blunt question; the shock caused the coffee to catch in her throat. A fit of heavy coughs caused a crowd of eyes to settle on the Mayor as she tried to find her breath. A gasp left her lips as her chest heaved, her hand placed across her heart. She wasn't as disturbed by the meaning behind the question but why he felt to bring it up. Where did any of this come from? Regina thought to herself as she found the words that were missing. "Why on earth would you ask something like that, Henry?" Her brows stitched together worried at the twinkle in his eyes that seemed lost and abandoned by Regina's "secret". "You don't have to worry, I'm not upset. I just was curious is all. You know you can tell me about them. I won't judge you for your past." He began to ramble in defense to his outlandish question. Regina shifted on the stool to face Henry's side; her hands clutched his shoulders carefully yet sternly. The formerly evil queen wasn't quite sure how to put it lightly but she was just as confused as he was in that very moment. She tucked a couple of stray strands of hair behind her ears as her lips twitched in attempts to form words. _Why was this being asked now? What did he know?_ Her thoughts overlapped one another as she tried her best to mentally tackle that question. "Henry…" Regina's eyes connected with his. "You know I'd never hide any of my past from you, most definitely not something as big as /that/." 

Henry shook his head in confusion before parting his lips, "No. No. I know, Mom." Her head tilted at the sound of him denying her claims, watching him as he thumbed through the pages of his storybook eagerly and excitedly finding the place he marked with a torn, diner napkin. That's where she laid her eyes upon the image that not a soul could deny resembled the other illustrations of her. It was her. A young version of herself was wrapping her young child with careful hands in a blanket. Her entire body went cold, numb, and stiff all in that telling moment. She curled over feeling sick to her stomach but she didn't reveal that to Henry. Her voice grew shaky and her mind was lost in thoughts that were so scrambled, she didn't know what to think. _This had to have been someone else. Who was the child? Where were they now? Why was her face in the sea of untold stories?_ A billion questions that she could be asking herself and yet she couldn't answer a single one. "Bu-But…That can't be. How? How is any of this possible?" She uttered quickly in a sickening confusion. Her insides felt as if they were being physically twisted by her own emotions. Henry's expression contorted as his hand went to comfort the small of her back when he realized what this all meant (or at least some of it), "Mom, you're worrying me. Do you mean you don't have any memory of this happening? How could that be?" Regina salvaged some amount of air as she gathered herself from the blow of the shock. "Well, your guess is as good as mine. I either have an, even more, evil twin sister which I didn't think was quite possible or my memory was scrubbed clean. Both sound utterly ridiculous." Regina stared blankly at the haunting illustration. Her voice grew soft and almost weakened. "Henry, you have to believe me..." Henry nodded quickly, assuring his mother that he understood how this could be difficult to take in. Although she couldn't possibly recollect any memories of this child, she felt for them- a sadness and desperation. But, most of all, she felt frustrated with not being capable of remembering something as important as bearing a child into this world. A puddle of tears welled in the corners of her eyes as they connected with Henry's, they both felt so lost. 

Her voice croaked out, "I don't remember any of this."


	2. Chapter 1: Knocked Up

**Author's Note:  
** _ **Every other chapter will be alternating between past/present; let me know how you like that balance and what you think of the story so far. I need as much constructive criticism as possible and enjoy finding out what your opinion on my work is.**_

 _ **Each chapter is named after a song I used for muse.  
This chapter is inspired by the song 'Knocked Up' by Kings of Leon.  
Rating Warning: T  
-**_

A feeling of euphoria overwhelmed her petite frame; certain radiance glimmered across her porcelain skin delicately. Her chest rose and fell in a blissful silence that stilled the room. Her eyes twitched lightly as she awoke from her deep and loving slumber. A low hum emanated from the back of her throat as her hips twisted back and forth attempting to find comfort in a bed that felt incomplete. There was a coldness that wasn't there a few hours before. His careful touch and soft gaze were missing and she sensed it. Her angelic eyes fluttered open and her delicate hands shifted her body's weight onto her elbows. "Dan- iel?" A sound of confusion past her lips as she registered his absence. The impression in the bed was still present from where he watched her fall into a peaceful slumber, taking in every detail of every curve and crevice of her body.

The night before was filled with hushed whispers and giggles under their breath as he taunted her 'below-par' skills in the stables and teased her with light nips at her neck. This surely wasn't the stable boy's first late-night visit. He cradled her body so gently as if it was the last moments they could share with one another and he never let a moment pass without appreciating her presence. The corners of his lips perked at the sight of a slumbering Regina; his agile fingers swiped a few raven-colored strays from her cheeks to admire her princess-like appearance more closely. He tucked the flimsy, silk sheets around the forms of their body, holding them as near as possible. A few hours passed before he had to retreat to the stables for the early morning. A loving peck on her cheek and he retracted from her frame, slipping from the sheets careful not to wake her sleeping form. He gave one good last look at her with a cheerful smile plastered across his lips before pulling his clothes back on. And just as quietly as he entered the manor from Regina's balcony doors, he slipped into the night without a trace.

Regina's bare lips parted in a softened smile as she slipped from the white, silk sheets. Her feet patted at the cold floor lightly as she swayed her way to her full-length mirror. It was only moments as she made her way to the mirror, that the feeling of the cold tiles below her feet sent shivers through her body. Her fingers slipped around the ends of her nightgown that was tossed carelessly over the edge of her mirror and slipped the cotton gown over her head with a simple sigh leaving her lips. A feeling of euphoria was replaced by a feeling of dread and biliousness. She grunted at the pang of discomfort when she felt a trail of bile rising from the depths of her throat. "Oh God." She managed past her lips as she crumpled at the sickly feeling. A ray of light shone through the sheer material of her balcony curtains leaving a streak of light leading into her bedroom. Her eyes squinted in reaction only irritating her senses further; her feet scurried across the tiled floors retreating to the nearest bin releasing all her dinner from the night before. Her chest heaved in a burning sensation as she took the moment to catch her breath. Her knees pressed into the floor curled over the silver bin that now reeked of vomit. She quickly cleaned herself of any remnants in the corners of her lips and headed to the balcony for some much-needed, fresh air.

The young Regina waltzed over to the balcony doors with a tug of the curtains opening her room to a shower of sunlight revealing breath-taking scenery below of the gardens. Just as she was to turn away to retrieve her breakfast for the morning, Daniel snuck his way through the gardens with a giddy grin glued to his face as he approached her line of vision. His hands resting on his hips as he analyzed her perfection from afar. "Are you prepared for your riding lessons today, my love? I'll be sure to go easy on you." A cocky chuckle left his lips with a raise of his brows that challenged her to that statement. A feeling traveled through her belly but this time, it wasn't of discomfort but the feeling of a million butterflies flying around as she caught the sight of her true love. She tucked her smile past her bottom lip with her teeth which only caused Daniel's grin to grow. Regina made her way out onto the balcony shutting the doors behind her grasping the railings. "It's not me you're going to have to worry about." Daniel scoffed light-heartedly tucking his tongue into his cheek with a simple raise of his brows. "Alright. Well, I'll be waiting, dear." He progressed a few feet before coming to a halt under Regina's prized apple tree snagging the juiciest apple that he could rest his eyes on. Regina noticed his taunting gaze out of the corner of his eyes before taking a vast and tempting bite. This action elicited a scoff followed by a cheery bout of laughter, "Hey!" The stable boy had a grin from ear-to-ear plastered across his cheeks as he strolled off backward watching as she made her way back in, "What? I was hungry!" Regina rolled her eyes once more and made her way to her wardrobe to prepare herself for the stables.

Regina found herself almost at a gallop down the staircase of the manor, her hair knotted into a thick braid whipping behind her, prepared for her lessons in her best outfit. It was her usual velvety, baby-blue jacket and skin-tight, leather pants that usually caught all of Daniel's attention. She knelt down near the door leading into the dining room to lace up her riding boots when she recognized her mother's voice bickering at her father. The older woman's voice was sharp and venomous as she spoke of her daughter's excitement for her lessons, "I worry for Regina." Henry rolled his eyes at the continuous efforts to tear her daughter's pride apart even when she wasn't openly present within the room. Cora took a spoonful of the porridge that sat warmly on the table. Henry squirmed at the impending argument, "What's there to worry over? She seems rather happy to me." Henry ran his hands over his silverware pulling the fork to his mouth, taking another bite of his eggs that sat on a plate in front of him. Regina's fingers went stiff at the sound of her name. She shifted closer to the door, pushing her weight on her knees. Cora was always so overly critical of her 'only' daughter, "I just worry that she's far too preoccupied with these riding lessons is all. While other girls her age are marrying off to wealthy suitors, Regina is trotting around on horses all day." The tone of Cora's voice sounded bitter and sour to Regina's ears. Her brows furrowed together in a rage as she stood to her feet defiantly balling her fists. A rage filled her lungs but she refused to let it affect her enough to ruin her riding lessons.

Regina refused to listen to her disapproving mother ramble on once more about what's good for her. All her life, she attempted to gain her own mother's approval and yet at the young age of seventeen, her efforts gave into nothing. It was utterly impossible to conform to her standards of living. With emotions running high, Regina rushed through the front door without a word. She kept her mind occupied with Daniel as she waltzed across the field to the stables. By the time that she reached the stable doors, a calm had washed over her. One set of eyes peeked around the doors searching for her true love. The smile on her face grew with anticipation. Ever since the night before, she couldn't shake him off her mind. She strutted into the small, wooden building. The hay crunched under her boots with each step. She leaned around searching for him around the corners of the stalls. "Daniel? Where _are_ you hiding?" Her eyes met his as he: finished cleaning out the last of the stalls, guiding one of the horses in, and locking it behind him. "Good morning, Regina. I must ask, how did you sleep last night?" A small smirk perched on his lips at the question that he had been waiting to ask. A matching expression painted across her face told him what he already needed to know. She clasped her hands behind her back as she approached his side. "I think you know very well how I slept, Mr. Colter." His eyes lit up at the sound of his surname, "How proper. I say, you looked absolutely radiant last night." That look of adoration etched into his expression never failed to make Regina swoon. Her heart fastened as his rough yet gentle hands clutched each of her hips and pulled her in close. A bout of laughter emanated from the couple as he leaned in for a tender kiss. Her tongue darted across her bottom lip as she felt the nerves begin to rise between them- when the sound of heavy shoes approached in the distance. As close as they were, their bodies separated just as quickly. Daniel returned to Regina's horse fastening what was left of the saddle.

In that very moment, the tension of almost being caught by her parents was enough for her to be overwhelmed by the discomfort that she felt earlier that morning. She clutched her abdomen softly letting out a nervous whimper. With a light push, the door opened and in waltzed Cora and Henry. "Ah, Regina. I didn't see you at breakfast. I wondered where you had run off to. And, now I see...with the horses." Cora gave a knowing side-eye to Henry who only pursed his lips in disapproval to Cora's antics. "I just didn't feel quite hungry this morning is all. Besides, I have that competition in a few months. I must prepare." Regina spoke with an upbeat tone trying to hide the uneasiness in her steps. "Right, the competition. The competition you always seem to place in second." A stifled laugh passed over Cora's lips. She recognized how often her daughter paraded on horses and yet she expected more of her. Regina crossed her arms promptly, clenching her teeth in return to Cora's attempts to discourage her horseback riding. "Maybe it isn't about the competition, mother. Perhaps, I just enjoy it. Why must I always have to win? I'll still never win in your eyes." The passionate flame to prove her mother wrong fizzled out with her emotions running high. Her voice breaking at the sound of her admitting what she always knew. She could never please her mother. It took everything Daniel had not to wrap his arms around her, cradling her. Instead, he watched as Cora approached her daughter placing a gentle finger under the girl's chin. "Ah, now there, don't cry." Henry grew uneasy whenever she attempted to console her. It usually always followed by a nasty remark that tore down Regina's spirit. "Daniel. Walk Rocinante out to the field. Regina. Just...try harder." Her voice was void of any remorse for her harsh statements. She watched as Regina followed Rocinante and Daniel out of the stables leaving her parents alone.

There was a short moment of silence between Regina and Daniel as they made their way out of the stables. Just as Daniel was offering up words of comfort, Regina rushed to the nearest empty container that she could find and released all of her nerves. Her body crumpled over at the horrid feeling. Her body repulsed by its own content. Daniel quickly followed her side placing a caring hand on the mid of her back. "Regina. Darling. Are you alright?" An expression of worry washed over him as his brows furrowed in concern. "You can't let your mother get to you like that." Regina shook her head as she released a deep breath and clutched tightly to the bucket until her knuckles were white. "It wasn't my mother that made me sick to my stomach." Her head rose to gaze into his confused eyes. He grabbed a spare handkerchief from his shirt pocket cleaning the corners of her lips. They couldn't let her mother see her in that state of weakness. Regina would never hear the end of it and it would surely draw up questions. She stumbled up to her feet with the assistance of Daniel locking her arm with his own. He brushed the stray hairs away to the frame of her face and took a loving gaze into her eyes. "You don't think...", his voice offered a possible explanation for the sudden sickness. After all, they both still had the night before on their minds. Daniel offered a nervous yet excited expression to the idea of becoming a father. No matter where he ended up, as long as he had Regina at his side, he knew he would be alright. She was his home. And, his hers. Regina shuttered at the thought of Cora laying a hand on their child. She couldn't live like that. "I'm sure it's nothing like that. Don't worry, I'll be fine. We'll be fine." She offered a nervous grin to show how fine she actually was. Daniel only shook his head followed by a muffled laugh through a pair of clenched teeth.

Cora and Henry watched from a distance how Rocinante and Regina barreled through the obstacles and with every obstacle surpassed, Daniel's and Henry's proud grins only grew wider. Cora, on the other hand, refused to give her daughter any credit. And, that always came expected of her. As Regina slowed Rocinante to a halt in front of her stable boy and her father, Cora approached with her hands clasped elegantly in front of her. Henry leaned in proudly for a hug, "that was beautiful, sweetheart." The pride beamed across his face. Regina smiled from ear-to-ear hearing the approval in his voice, "Thank you, Daddy." She wrapped her arm around him with the other still clasping the bridle of the horse. Cora's presence shadowed the look of happiness on their faces like a dark cloud. "Beautiful? I'd hardly call that beautiful." Regina stumbled uneasily at the sound of her mother approaching with more criticism. "You didn't like it, mother?" Regina swallowed down on the nerves that rested in her throat gazing at her mother with wide, innocent eyes. Without a blink of her eyes, Cora retorted with, "you ride like a man. A lady should be graceful." Cora tilted her head with an expression that assumed this information was obvious, "You should use a saddle." Regina attempted pathetically at shaking off any other negativity that came from her mother as she brushed Rocinante's muzzle with the palm of her hand. "I was just having fun." Regina scoffed slightly under her breath. Daniel tensed at the further criticalness of Regina's mother. Cora took a few steps forward narrowing her eyes at the girl, "You're getting a little old for fun. Whose going to want to marry you when you behave like a commoner?" Henry grew tired of this banter day after day stepping in between the pair gesturing his hand out. He didn't care to see his estranged wife trample over Regina with vicious words. "Please leave her alone." Cora interrupted the man that she saw as inferior. "Stop coddling her. She's becoming an old maid. All the other girls her age are married..." Cora let out a sharp, exaggerated exhale at the feeling of failure that Regina brought upon her. "Ah, I had such high hopes-"

Daniel intervened with his attempts at comforting Regina's mind bringing along a saddle for Rocinante; he took a few steps towards Regina, "Milady, Perhaps this saddle would-" It was only to be stopped as her voice grew sharp and wicked with rage. "I'm done riding for the day." She walked the horse to Daniel for him to rope. "And, don't ever interrupt me and my mother again." Daniel's face twisted with a pang of hurt in his eyes before waltzing back up to the stables. Cora stood there pleased by the effect that she had on Regina, almost feeling satisfaction at her daughter's own wickedness. Regina took a moment to gather her composure not wishing to unleash her rage on her mother. She let out a simple scoff fiddling with the straps of Rocinante's bridle, "Why do you always have to criticize me?" Like a mask, Cora put on a look of innocence that seemed oblivious to her poor actions and words. "I'm not criticizing you. I'm helping you." This only continued to dishearten Regina as she began her way back to the stables. She froze in fear at the sudden, low rage that Cora lashed out. "Don't you walk away from me!" A softened ray of blue light emanated from the sorceress' hand unleashing a dark and powerful magic, lifting the petite body of Regina up into the air.

Regina defiantly kicked and swung her arms erratically at the loss of control that she had on her own body. a slight pout formed on her lips, "You know I don't like it when you use magic." A warm chuckle rolled off her mother's lips without regard to her daughter's displeasure, "-and I don't like insolence." Her hand clutched around the orb of magic feeling the power of it coursing through her veins. She returned her hands clasped together in front of her with a playful smirk twisting in the corners of her lips. "Heh. I'll stop using magic when you start being an obedient daughter." Henry gazed worriedly over Cora's shoulder at Regina floating in mid-air by magic. Cora manipulated her like a little voodoo doll and Henry saw right through it. Regina scoffed at the sound of being an obedient daughter. In her mother's eyes, Regina being obedient might as well meant she was a slave within her own household. She was a pawn on a chessboard and Cora would be playing her every move. She cried out with emotions daring to rush out. "Why can't I just be myself?" Cora oozed with her sweetened tone as she offered a hint of 'encouragement'. "Aww, because you can be so much more if you just let me help you." Regina kicked and threw her hands violently, "I don't care about status, I just wanna' be haaa-" Cora grew tired of her little games by that time and with the flick of her wrist, the horse's bridles now gripped her arms tightly to her sides. And with the further clench of Cora's fist, the straps only grew tighter around Regina until she cried out in agony. "Ahhh! Ughhh!... Pl-Pl-ea-ease. I'll..be..good.." A feeling of desperation overwhelmed the young girl who was only but a teenager. Her eyes glossed over with tears in her eyes. The salty liquid pooled in the corners of her eyes and began to stain her soft, porcelain cheeks. But, this went far beyond nasty words; the bridles were far too tight around her. Regina thought perhaps it could have been a broken rib. But, there was something more. There was something wrong.

Cora released her from the restraints allowing her carelessly to collapse to the ground with a heavy thud. "Uffh! Aggghhh!" Her body convulsed in a sudden shock from the fall. Her body crumpled over into a fetal position. Her eyes pinched tightly shut until she saw white circles spinning behind her eyelids. She winced in pain as she let out another blood-curdling scream. Her hands clutched desperately to her abdomen. Henry quickly fell to his knees at her side cradling her in his arms. The screams echoed throughout the field. A startled Cora trembled at the extent of her injuries. Cora shuffled closer only to be forcefully pushed aside by Henry, "No. You've done enough! Do you see what you've done!?" His voice rose in anger and shock; he feared for her daughter's life in that moment of confusion and panic. It was the same panic that overwhelmed Daniel as he sprinted down the hill in their direction. "Regina? Oh my God, Regina!" He yelped in horror as her body tossed across the ground came into sight. He collapsed at her side beyond what words could define as terrified. Daniel cradled her body with that same familiar, delicate touch. Her eyes focused on the look of terror drawn across his face, taking in every feature of his in, before it all went dark. 


	3. Chapter 2: Find Me

**I apologize deeply for the wait if anyone has been attached to this fanfic already so soon into the progress of this story. Chapter 3 really kicked my ass and the way that Once Upon A Time has been going hasn't necessarily helped. I can't say that it won't happen again with college life. However, here is another chapter to the story of Regina's missing child.**

 **As usual, I chose a song for muse as well as a title. While I particularly love, Sigma - Find Me ft. Birdy, it didn't particularly fit like I wanted it to. So, the song I've chosen fits the story-line much more perfectly. By the same title, Find Me by Kings of Leon. It's super difficult to find a discovery song that isn't about romantic love. ( watch?v=Ec92Wa8zJs8)**

 **Anyways, here is the new chapter. Don't forget to leave feedback in the comments. Follow and Favorite the story if you really like it.**

* * *

Regina felt herself retreat from her mind in that very moment as her eyes glossed over with a film of tears. An anguish and sense of guilt rushed through her veins as her mind repeated the same mantra through her brain, "how could someone just forget?" Then again, nothing was quite impossible in a land, even without magic. It didn't take long before her mind crossed over the possible perpetrators of this horrible tragedy. It wasn't like Regina to act out and choose to forget of her own flesh and blood by potions work, so who was to blame?

The name almost audibly dripped from her lips like a dark venom that made her mouth go dry and taste bitter- _Cora._ The very reason that she dropped the miserable woman in the middle of wonderland with twiddle-dum and twiddle-dee was for manipulating the entirety of her life. Who was to say that she wasn't capable of giving off her own flesh and blood to complete strangers.

Her hands ran rigid and cold through her raven locks as the tears finally escaped the outer corners of her chocolate orbs. With a heavy huff of air, she stepped out from the diner without another word in edgewise to her son, who sat idly by, scrolling through the storybook infatuated with the illustrations decorated on the pages detailing this untold story of his lost sibling. He knew better than to bother his mother in deep turmoil like this, but he knew best to call who was always bold enough to approach the teary siren of a woman- Emma.

In recent weeks, Emma Swan and Regina were off to a decent start to a decent friendship. They shared shots together in the middle of the night when one of them needed it the most in their life. They even shared a smile once or twice which instantly closed Regina off from the intimacy from their relationship each time.

As he lifted his gaze from the rustled pages of this new storybook, Granny met his glance from behind the counter with a warm half-smirk of understanding and proceeded with her daily chores as diner owner. Henry smiled softly in return as he retrieved his phone from the depths of his pockets and lit the screen with a single tap at the home button. Emma should be nearby dealing with a few scoundrels with untold stories of their own, he thought. He tapped at her name on the screen and typed in a simple message,

"you're needed at the diner."

He pursed his lips with the simple roll of his eyes as he sent the message and as usual, she was always within perfect distance of her next necessary battle. This was a dragon that she wasn't ready to conquer without another quick chug of the cup of joe clasped comfortably in her hands. He watched through the blinds from his stool at the picture before him as Emma hesitated in approaching his mom.

However, if anyone knew how to handle a forgotten child, it would be Emma. While, it wasn't her intention or within her control, she let her son be raised by someone else entirely. Something Regina was just learning to fathom. This is something that they could handle together and he knew she would be there for her every step of the way through awkward shrugs and distant eye contact.

It wasn't a surprise to Emma when she received the sudden ping in the pocket of her jeans. Her brain was already performing a balancing act between the Three Musketeers and the Old Lady who Lived In a Shoe. It was still difficult to process that the four fictional characters were standing before her. It was a never-ending surprise once one found out that their parents were Prince Charming and Snow White. A small chuckle fell from her lips at the thought as she slipped her hand into her pocket to retrieve the phone.

"Alright, what is it now?" She uttered in a grunt to balance both a coffee in one hand and a phone in the other as she tapped through her phone to get to the unread message. Henry. "Ah. Diner...on my..way..now." She repeated aloud as she typed in the digital message and sent off to the nearest boy with a storybook and hot chocolate in hand.

"Well, it's been fun and I'd really be thrilled to discuss the occupant limit to our cottages, but I think that'd be a job for the mayor to handle with you on a different day, Miss..?" She cringed inwardly at her attempted politeness.

The old lady who lived in a shoe glanced back at her with doe eyes and a gentle smile. Her gray, coarse strands of hair woven into a simple and heavy braid that fell down the mid of her back. Her overall dress a stark contrast to her actual age of seventy-nine. "You can just call me, Georgina."

A half-smirk passed over her lips without hesitation and gave a simple nod of her head in their direction as she dismissed herself from the group conversation, "I've got something to handle with my kid, so I'll..talk..to you all.. _later_!"

She shuffled along from the edge of the park onward across the street to the diner where she found a visibly disheveled Regina on the brink of a mental breakdown. It was a worrisome sight, she wasn't going to lie, but she always thought her simple charm could muster a glimmer of hope in the bitter-hearted mayor. No matter what the issue seemed to be that day.

That was, until she saw the look held deep within Regina's eyes. She had never seen the woman that she had grown to find friendship in seem so broken over the demons she was battling. This was a different Regina, entirely. Emma grasped the arms of the older woman and shuffled her off to the side of the building away from prying eyes. Regina let out a chortled cry at the sudden tug of her body yet didn't pull back. That especially surprised Emma, she knew she was in something deep. It was just a matter of pulling information out of her.

Regina released a sudden gust of air that she held in her lungs for the past few moments as she attempted to grapple her emotions into their neat, usual bow of orderliness. She was battling demons aloud with Emma Swan, of all people, to watch on. She had never felt quite this low, but it wasn't long before Emma shook her from her sorrowful stupor. "Hey, Regina?"

Her eyes welled with tears once again as Emma grasped her cheeks with each hand on either side of her face. "Listen to me, what the hell is the matter?" She pondered for a moment, what could possibly make Regina this upset. She knew Henry was completely fine with his text message, so it had to be something else entirely. Just as she was about to speak again, Regina responded with a mixture of emotions bursting at the seams of her lips.

"It's Henry's stupid storybook- the untold stories!"

Emma wasn't following and that much was clear with the bewildered expression painted across her features as she tucked a long strand of her blonde waves behind her right ear. She was determined to not look away from Regina and make sure she knew she didn't have to do this alone, that she had a friend.

"Okay?-"

"No, Miss Swan! It was **my** untold story." Silence tackled the pair of women standing arms-length apart as Regina's arms clasped at the buttons of her shirt in anguish. "My dau-" Her voice crackled and broke as the word dared to cross her lips and her next cry only came out as a croak. Miss Swan's expression only grew more bewildered and comical. At which, Regina rolled her eyes heavily in the sense that Emma was now following the same page and was nevertheless annoying in doing so.

Emma had to think of a game plan to this problem and quickly before Regina found her own way of figuring things out. Those plans always omitted her and she was hellbent on making sure she had no need to go through this journey alone. She understood the troubled feeling of not knowing a piece of you is out there wondering why you abandoned them. This was no different from her own experience with motherhood and she was going to be the poster child of abandonment issues for Regina to look up to as they find her daughter. But, where to start?

"Okay. Okay. Have you talked to Gold yet? Maybe, he knows the bottom of this, he was your mentor, after all. He had to at least been there for the tail end of it, right?" Regina shook her head lightly, but knew it was a better start than she, herself had.

"Yes, Gold. I'm not sure. I just know I can't face him like this. It would only amuse that sick bastard more and give him the upperhand in all of this." She mustered some sense of herself before she broke through a small glimmer of hope and thanks to the younger woman standing next to her, "I just need some time...to think, Miss Swan..." She inwardly cringed at her next thought, "...Emma." She corrected herself with a slight grimace on her lips as she found a smooth, clean spot on the concrete lining that outlined the foundation of the diner.

Emma was taken aback with this overload of information as she found herself sat next to her on the concrete slab- a safe distance. She didn't wish to scare the mayor off anymore than she had in the past with her friendship. The both of them sat there for a time at a loss for words to explain this predicament that they found themselves in.

* * *

 **Gold's Pawn Shop**

* * *

A distinct chime alerted Rumple to his unwelcomed visitors just as he was about to close up shop for the afternoon with all the untold characters roaming about this world curiously. He wouldn't put it past any of their new residents to go picking through his inventory for some safe-keeping, however his back was turned towards the pair when a a cloud of vanilla intruded his nostrils. Regina's scent was always far too strong not to pick out from a crowd, or lackthereof.

"If the sign outside wasn't hint enough were clo-"

Emma huffed a bit, "Cut the crap, Rumple. We need answers."

Her hands found her leather jacket's pockets comfortably before finding home inside the silk interior. The grimace on her face was enough to catch Rumple off-guard when he turned around to face the two intruders and without surprise, Regina stood there with her arms crossed and a scowl to poorly hide the tears that had been previously shed. However, she could never put it past her former mentor when something was in disarray in her life. She had come to him all those times before. He remembered those moments well.

Just as he was about to return a snarky comment in edgewise to the rude interruption, something told him otherwise. He neatly cleared his throat with balled fists at his sides, "Very well then, on with it. What can I be any assistance with?" He waltzed around the display case grazing his finger across the surface. His eyes tried to reach Regina's until she turned away as she spoke.

"What do you know about my daughter?"

The question certainly took him for a loop, but none the more surprised. He knew eventually Cora's dark secret would have caught up to her, it was just a matter of time before it was uncovered. He was only guilty for the part that he actively played in this distorted situation. He nodded softly to himself for a moment, something that caught Emma's attention rather quickly.

"So, you do know something? What is it?" Emma took a step closer between Rumple and Regina with her eyes set on him as he halted in place.

"If you'd let me speak, I could cut to the chase. I was there for the time that you were pregnant, yes." His sudden disclosure of information pricked Regina's eyes in curiosity as she watched him slowly pace the shop, fixing trinkets in their places on the cases. "However, I wasn't in the particularly best place to stop your mother from _removing_ your daughter from the situation."

This time, it was Regina's turn to take a step closer to Rumple with a steadfast alertness that made her spine rigid in appearance. "So, she's out there? Alive?" A sudden wave of relief washed over her body and mind. There was a doubt that her mother may have been evil enough to, she wasn't sure she was strong enough to muster the words, but Emma seemed to understand her concerns.

Without hesitation, Rumple's eyes pierced into Regina's apologetically before continuing on with his details of the situation, "All I know is I made sure she ended up in a good home with a band of women on the outskirts of a Parisian town. If that's all you two are here for, then you're out of luck. That's all I know." Gold clicked his tongue against the inside of his mouth as he plucked his cane at the wooden floor.

"Now, if you'd excuse me. I have some business to take care of and you've taken already enough of my time." That was all it took for the pair of women to waltz back out onto the streets of Storybrooke onto their next quest for more information.

* * *

"So, I'd say we found what we were looking for." The blonde chimed hopefully, much like her mother's usual antics. Emma remembered the apologetic glances of guilt and remorse for his actions, it was unlike Rumple. There was something much deeper going on behind the curtain, but she wasn't going to push her luck with Rumple today. That was the only reason that she was being hopeful for Regina in this very moment, but she was sure to get to the bottom of it eventually.

Regina rolled her eyes as she discarded her leather-gloved hands into her pockets and followed alongside Emma in path to the diner, "But, it still doesn't explain where she is? What's her name? What's her family like? I have so many questions still."

"Well, you can't expect to figure out this entire life of a story in one day, progress." Regina inwardly cringed at the similarities between mother and daughter in this very moment. Charming was always the more _charming_ of the group. Emma clutched at the lapels of her favorite maroon-leather jacket watching the way the tip of her boots seemed to barely graze the cracks in the sidewalk as they walked side-by-side.

"All I'm saying is don't expect this to turn into an epic road trip where I'm squeezed between a storybook and Henry with you driving the yellow death-trap on one of his little operations. This is not one of those and I'm never stepping back into that tin on wheels." She bit back with a stifled fire, not her usual fiest, but it did the job.

Emma was just about to find the words to respond to the sudden dejection when Henry rushed to the rescue. She didn't have the heart or the actual fighting words to bite back at Regina and she wasn't kind on embarrassing herself when she couldn't with Regina. "Moms! I did a little digging, and by digging, I mean read a bit into the back story there and some Youtube videos on Disney history." Emma smirked at the sudden rush of sentences thrown together by his excitement. He was always one for stories, after all. He rolled his eyes at his mother's baited looks and proceeded smugly.

"Anyways, it seems like you are now officially the proud mother of a gypsy."

"A gypsy?" She practically laughed out in disbelief at the word, the granddaughter to a former prince, now called herself a gypsy. Mother did have a twisted sense of humor, she was sure that she'd go to nothing but the worst of them. The anger rising inside the small, petite frame for only a moment before Henry brought her back down to earth.

"That's not all. I also talked around to a few of the untold story characters and they seem to know a thing or two about Esmeralda, but they weren't keen on sharing the details. She might have been a part of some bad history in the town itself." He pursed his lips waiting for their reactions. Regina's mind was wrapping around all the details perfectly while Emma did not disappoint.

"Esmeralda? As in, the gypsy? Quasimodo and Esmeralda?" Emma's jaw fell slack with dismay, her hands flying each and every way as she filled her son in on the grandiose tale of Esmeralda and the 'Hunchback'.

"From what I read online just a minute ago, yeah? You know her?" Emma's bewildered expression from earlier returned, full-fledged.

"Of course! You don't the story of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"?" Emma asked with an increased curiosity. What other films and stories had Regina not filled him in on yet? "Regina-"

Regina cleared her throat quietly as she clasped her hands in front of her, "that's not a particular tale that I want my child learning about as a child." She spoke quite frankly about the film. "Well, I just knew if I had to show him the film, I'd have to let him read all of the books as well. That wasn't something that I wanted him- digesting at such a young age. The themes were much too dark even in the film."

Within a single baited breath, Regina reminded Emma just how much she actually missed out on with raising Henry, and how much parenting that she still needed to catch up on. Not to say that she wasn't the parental type, but she didn't have parental controls on his television and she'd already let him watch Poltergeist on a school night. It was safe to say parenting was Regina's wheelhouse and she wasn't ashamed of it. Emma nodded her head quite knowing how that could impression the wrong things on a child's mind at such a young age.

However, Henry's curiosity was just now boiling over in his brain. What was the details of this story? He would have to take a few trips to the library within the next week, he thought to himself. It was Regina who broke the silence once more, however.

"So, how are we even supposed to find her? We've already had our talk with Rumple and that barely filled us in on anything."

"Just calm down, we'll figure something out. I saw a few gypsies hanging around the diner, maybe I can pull some more information out of them. In the off chance, maybe, Mary Margaret knows a thing or two. I mean, she was just a child, but she was there. The only other two involved are dead, so that's not going to help anyone."

"Meanwhile, I'll be at the library doing some of my own research." Henry smoothed into the game plan quite proudly with an impish grin spread across his porcelain cheeks that made Regina barely chuckle as she caressed his cheek before he dismissed himself from the group chat conveniently close to the library. It seems they weren't who Henry, or might say, what, Henry was looking for. Emma rolled her eyes at the young kid as he skipped off through the doors of the building, leaving Regina and herself back to their awkward silence.

"So, I'll go talk to Mom and then maybe.." Emma's jittery hands found solace in the warm pockets of her jacket where she didn't have to worry what to do with them. She no longer had her cup of coffee to occupy her idle hands.

Regina nodded lightly to herself more than Emma as she tucked raven strands behind her ear and procured a small smile in the blonde's direction, "thank you- for your help, I wasn't quite sure how to do this alone, but you were really here for me today. I just want to say thanks." This was honestly the most open that Swan had seen the Mayor in the past couple of months and it was actually rather nice to see her so calm and serene even for a moment.

"No problem. I just know how it feels, ya' know, being alone and all when you find out your a mother. It's hard." She pursed her lips in the way that Henry tends to and Regina found a smile rising upon her face at the recognition in similarities between the two in that moment. "Yeah.." They say in an awkward unison.

"I actually have to find something in my vault for any clues that my mother may have left behind. Even dark sorceresses make mistakes, sometimes. If all else fails, I'll find a way to procure a potion to have a talk with my father." It's not that she didn't trust to talk to her mother, now that she was finally redeemed from their hellish relationship of the past. Regina didn't quite trust herself to stay calm and collected while talking with her mother about such a touchy subject, she did kidnap her child after all and forced a potion down her throat. The thought of it made her rub at the core of her neck and sent a cringe down her spine.

"See ya' later, okay?" Emma headed off across the sidewalk to her yellow bug quickly thereafter once she saw Regina nod in response and they headed their separate ways.

"Later." She muttered under her breath before starting off into the direction of the cemetery.

* * *

 **Regina's Vault**

* * *

She found herself at a loss for words as she sat there sunken into the button love seat that she had too many experiences with in its short history. As much as she was amused by the thought, neither a smile nor a chuckle reached her lips. She was far too gone from herself to react in the moment. This day was far too much for her and it was only the afternoon. She shuffled her fingers through her locks of jet-black hair out of habit and exhaustion, waiting for something else to just hit her. It was only silence. A much needed silence between her and herself.

She knew exactly what she had to do and how to procure a potion much like the content that resided in the bottle in the Underworld, but suddenly she felt a heavy weight residing deep within her bones. She hadn't the energy to resist the temptation of just settling there for the day on the love seat seeded in deep thought. However, she knew it would be best, otherwise.

So, she stood to her feet with a simple shrug of her shoulders and waltzed to the vanity of potions settled in a little nook in the wall. Her slender fingers grazed over the top of bottles here and there, scattered across the surface of the counter. It had been a time between the last time that she felt necessary to use magic. She was actually quite proud of herself for that simple fact.

Her bottom lip jutted out in sudden curiosity as she traced her fingers around a certain bottle on the counter. A small plant that resembled tumble weed on a branch. It only grasped her interest, because she had never seen this ingredient before. She would have at least remembered what to particularly call this specimen had she seen it before.

Regina lifted the bottle and released its content into the black cauldron below with a simple smile. One ingredient down and several more to go. Maybe, she would talk to her father sooner than she expected. How she missed her father's gentle smiles and warm hugs. She was convinced that man was made purely of the purest things in the world. He had not a cruel bone in his body, unlike her mother.

Just as she lost herself in the gentle memories of her father, she was startled awake with a hazy reflection in the mirror in front of her and sudden snap of a voice-

"Regina!" A warped tone, nonetheless familiar, the voice and hazy reflection belonged to her mother. Just as clear as it was, it disappeared within a second, leaving Regina alone to her surprise.

 _How was she going to explain this to the ever-so-charming Charming's?_

* * *

 _I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to leave feedback and follow the story through email updates._


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